![]() Langley researchers came up with the idea of rotating engine cells nose-down so the exhaust would blow over the trailing edge of the wing, thus augmenting lift. ![]() Externally blown flap It allowed lower-speed handling and reduced landing and takeoff space. It was adopted by the Air Force for the F-111 and the B-1 bomber and the F-14 for the Navy. In the case of variable sweep, Langley engineers came up with the idea of creating a double pivot configuration that eliminated the stability issue. The Air Force was not impressed and the effort was cancelled.” Nevertheless, the NACA and its successor, NASA, were research organizations allowed to continue work on technology that was not immediately applicable because other breakthrough technologies were needed. To maintain adequate levels of maneuverability, the wings had to be moved forward, which required massive equipment inside the aircraft. Unfortunately, that changes the inherent stability of the aircraft dramatically, to totally non-maneuverable with the wings swept aft. ![]() and Bell Aircraft built the X-5 as the first continuous variable sweep aircraft. At the end of World War II, as we overran German scientific facilities, we found they were about to go to flight with an aircraft that had wings that could be repositioned on the ground before flying. Langley also developed the concept of individual flying platforms in the 1950s.” Variable wing sweep “In the 1960s, variable wing sweep came out of Langley, which has been applied to numerous military aircraft. Helicopters became a major research area at Langley. When aircraft go into the fleet and some configuration change happens, the military typically returns to the Langley spin tunnel to see what those changes will mean.” Vertical takeoff and landing “In the 1950s, as we returned to more fundamental efforts, Langley had time to explore some revolutionary concepts, especially vertical takeoff and landing. military aircraft in production was tested in that wind tunnel. Langley developed a free-flying technique in a wind tunnel, beginning in 1935, with the first of two spin tunnels that have been continuously operational since then. That shaped all future propeller-driven aircraft development and was the recipient of Langley’s first Collier Trophy.” Most efficient engine shape and location “This led to DC-3s and all subsequent aircraft having their engines in the same vertical location as the wing, as opposed to underslung or above the wing.” Aircraft spinning “An area where contributions continue to this day for the military is spinning, which is a very complex thing to analyze from an aerodynamic perspective. Langley developed a way to enclose radial engines with cowlings that minimized air resistance with continued cooling. The first operational application of that was the P-51 Mustang, which gave it higher speed capability than other aircraft in combat.” Engine cowlings “The Navy preferred radial flow rather than liquid-cooled, which led to very large engines. Laminar flow airfoil “They developed a unique laminar flow airfoil designed to have minimum drag at optimum conditions. Langley began a progression of research tactics, doing a complete matrix of testing in those facilities, making adjustments to airfoil shapes, that were employed to design World War II military aircraft,” Chambers said. ![]() Some of the highlights, starting in the 1920s, include: The development of airfoils “That was the first application of compressed air to wind tunnel testing, with more accurate results than any other wind tunnels. The list of Langley’s contributions since its inception is long and helped take the United States to a dominant position in military aviation by the end of World War II.
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